The Race To Net Zero.

[Robbie]

With energy price hikes due in October & with Pensioners going to lose their fuel allowance, unless they are on benefits, I thought this article was pertinent to the whole price rise debacle.

 

[Piethagoram]

So @Robbie, you are being a bit disingenuous here, when a new government has only recently been voted in.

The past 14 years, there hasn't been an effective windfall tax on energy companies, meaning that whilst most of Europe capped energy prices for their people, the UK did not ( or perhaps set a recent cap at the highest level in Europe).

On land wind farms could have made a difference too in boosting cheaper green energy, but Tory nimbyism put paid to that. 

The lack of real progress on construction of nuclear power stations is another hangover of the Tory energy legacy.

Remember the debacle on the North Sea Gas storage facility? 

Liz Truss blamed for closure of North Sea gas storage before energy crisis

WWW.YORKSHIREPOST.CO.UK

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Liz Truss has been accused of signing off the closure of the UK’s biggest gas storage facility as ministers now rush to reopen the facility before winter.

 

We need to address with new taxes on executive jets, aviation fuel etc

New housing needs to be built to "Passive" housing standards, lessening the ongoing costs of heating a home

 

[Robbie]

@Piethagoram

How am I being disingenuous?

Hundreds of thousands of Pensioners are losing their winter fuel allowance, hundreds of thousands, being just over the threshold.

Pensioners who scrimped & saved to get themselves a small pension for retirement over their State Pension, are going to suffer. One can't defend the indefensible.

Under the Conservatives, millions of pensioners, got their winter fuel allowance. Now under Labour, they are not. One can't defend the indefensible.

And as far as Net Zero is concerned. Shutting down the North Sea oil fields, & building over thousands of acres of prime farming land with Solar Panels, is again, indefensible.

Shutting down our fossil fuel industry, but at the same time importing it from abroad, is plain crazy. One can't defend the indefensible.

I believe doing all these things is a national security issue.

And we aren't even talking about the possible taking away of the 25% Council tax concession for single occupiers by Labour. Thousands of Pensioners live alone too.

That would be another Labour action that would be totally indefensible.

[Piethagoram]

I'm sorry @Robbie, this thread was specifically started on Green Energy, with a twitter account seemingly backed by fossil fuel interests!

Perhaps, you can expand further on your assumptions:

"Shutting down our fossil fuel industry, but at the same time importing it from abroad, is plain crazy. One can't defend the indefensible.

I believe doing all these things is a national security issue."

I can't see why you perceive it to be a national security issue? The oil and gas from the North Sea are directly sold on to international markets, the UK doesn't control where it is sold... except for specific gas fields which supply gas fired power stations

If you wish to expand further on the winter fuel allowance ( again not part of the opening posting)... the Tories have left the UK gov't finances in such dire straits that unpopular measures like winter fuel allowance may have to be axed.

Personally I disagree with the policy and would rather the govt go after the likes of Michelle Mone, Covid fraud etc, to get the money to cover the winter fuel payments.

 

 

[Robbie]

The topic's heading is  "the race to net zero".

Energy price hikes are linked to the race to net zero, & the price of energy is crippling the less well off like Pensioners on £13 K a year who will lOSE their winter fuel allowance in October.

The average person's annual electricity bill includes about £100 in green levies too, so this will only compound the misery for many Pensioners on small incomes.

As far as this Government is concerned, 

Labour has just committed to spending £10bn on public sector pay rises, £11.6bn on overseas climate aid, &  billions more on "Net Zero". 

This Labour Government simply cannot justify scrapping the £1.4bn winter fuel allowance for Pensioners.

[Piethagoram]

So dear @Robbie you are quite happy for the energy companies to rip off the UK consumers, those companies benefiting from the higher prices caused say by the war in Ukraine where the costs of sourcing / extraction, remain constant.

Yes, the govt should go and apply windfall taxes and use those proceeds to reinstate the winter fuel allowance., in my view

[Robbie]

It is terrible that the price of energy is so high. A lot of that is down to the policies of both the Tory & Labour Governments with their obsession about racing to net Zero & their Green policies, & keeping energy taxes high to facilitate funding for net zero.

I believe the Green levy on energy bills should be abolished as well as VAT for domestic consumers

@Piethagoram I think the vast majority of pensioners will want the Government to reverse it's edict of stopping the winter fuel allowance for millions of pensioners.

[Fan of Big Tone]

1 minute ago, Robbie said:

@Piethagoram I think the vast majority of pensioners will want the Government to reverse it's edict of stopping the winter fuel allowance for millions of pensioners.

I agree somewhat with the Government on the fuel allowance there are a lot of pensioners who do not need the payment I include myself in that, it was nice to get it but I don’t really need it, a friend described it as his wine allowance.

The poorest pensioners will still get the payment but I agree there are some who are just above the threshold that may struggle, I would like to see them helped.

[Chris]

Please, can we try to keep this a bit more focused on the race to net-zero itself?

I believe it's very important that the UK looks at ways to bring cheaper energy to the masses. The fact that Electric and Gas companies are more worried about paying their shareholders huge amounts of money - at the cost to people who are struggling to live a quality life. It's not just old people, it's families and single people. It's horrible to think that anyone could be forced to face a winter without the ability to afford to warm their home, especially the elderly.

Yet it is a situation many people are in, and the point is that nobody should be suffering like this within the UK. Not when they are living a life where they cause no harm, are just trying to live the best possible life.

If Labour could get the balance back, the economy would be much better off if people could afford to buy their food shopping without worries. Could afford to treat themselves to a meal, able to pay fuel, gas and electricity and able to put money back into regular spending.

When people can spend, that is the best way to have a healthy economy because people are providing taxes, allowing small businesses to grow, and it creates a way where money can be reinvested if more people can afford to simply live.

Renewable energy is something that could help in the long term, but there are other options which should be explored to bring the costs down. Stricter rules over the amount of profits companies can make during a recession or cost-of-living is a must.

The burden of making the UK better shouldn't just fall on the poor, the people who struggle to live or pay their bills. It should hit those higher up who wouldn't remotely be effected by missing out on a nice pay day.

[Robbie]

@Fan of Big Tone Of course there are pensioners who don't need the Winter fuel allowance. 

It has always been the case with benefit too, that it can be returned if not needed.

I'm talking about Pensioners who are just above the threshold & below the national living wage that should continue to have their winter fuel allowance at some level, but will now lose it.

[Fan of Big Tone]

@Robbie that’s what I said, I agree pensioners just above the threshold need help but then there’ll be another threshold where do you stop.

[DangerousSausage]

"Net Zero Watch" is hardly a credible source. It's funded by US-based oil interests and climate change deniers. What they are trying to do is take justified anger over the end of the winter fuel allowance and direct it against measures to combat climate change. It's a distraction.

[Robbie]

@DangerousSausage

Labour ending the winter fuel allowance has sparked so much anger among pensioners and pensioner groups, that it doesn't need any distraction, because the reality is, thousands of pensioners are going to go cold this winter thanks to this Labour Government.

This terrible decision to stop winter allowance for pensioners over the threshold needs to be reversed.

[menzinho]

I know my grandparents got this over the years it was available despite being incredibly comfortably financially and I’m sure there were lots of other pensions that didn’t need the winter fuel allowance either. It was a badly thought-out scheme to begin with, money went to those who didn't need it and now as a way to make up for the losses those who genuinely need it won’t be able to receive it.

In terms of net-zero I do think more needs to be done collectively though, it's no good just thinking of it in terms of the UK (and even Europe for that matter). The massive issue is that currently over half the worlds CO2 emissions are from the US, Russia, India and China. The UK could become the cleanest nation in the world but if no-one else follows suit it will all be for nothing...

[allardyces tash]

I think Labour has been dealt a bad hand by the Tory party's leadership of the UK. It's unfortunate that they had to make cuts in certain areas, but it was unavoidable. I hope support is given to those who are struggling, but everyone has to deal with challenges as we work to get things back on track.

Regarding net zero, I agree with @menzinho that it's up to the worst offenders, like China, to start making changes. China is the world's worst polluter and often disregards its CO2 emissions.

[Piethagoram]

11 hours ago, DangerousSausage said:

"Net Zero Watch" is hardly a credible source. It's funded by US-based oil interests and climate change deniers. What they are trying to do is take justified anger over the end of the winter fuel allowance and direct it against measures to combat climate change. It's a distraction.

Well said @DangerousSausage

[Robbie]

 

[Piethagoram]

@Robbie Journalism? Not once was nuclear energy mentioned? The Tories have delayed builds on nuclear power stations, where infrastructure is needed the most.

As regards "growing the economy" mantra, the economy can be grown immediately by re entering the Single Market... The 22bn fiscal black hole can be plugged immediately

 

[liampie]

becoming net zero is important but i think the way we are going about it might not be the best way. we do need more investment in solar power generation and wind turbines but there has to be other means which helps.

i think its scary how other countries dont even try to address this issue.  

[Robbie]

Interesting article by Liam Halligan highlighting the price to pay 

Liam's article follows if the link cannot be accessed